Social anxiety and interpretation of ambiguous smiles

This study investigated whether social anxiety facilitates the discrimination between genuine and ambiguous smiles. Socially anxious (N=20) and nonanxious (N=20) participants categorized as “happy” or “not happy” faces with either (1) a truly happy expression (i.e., happy eyes and a smile), (2) truly nonhappy expressions (e.g., angry eyes and an angry mouth), or (3) blended expressions with a smiling mouth and nonhappy (e.g., angry, sad, etc.) eyes. Results indicated that, relative to nonanxious participants, those high in social anxiety were more likely to judge as “not happy” any blended expression with nonhappy eyes, and they were faster in judging as “not happy” the blended expressions with angry, fearful, or disgusted eyes (but not those with sad, surprised, or neutral eyes). These results suggest, respectively, that social anxiety inhibits a benign interpretation of all the ambiguous expressions with a smile, and speeds up the detection of threatening eyes in such expressions. Importantly, no differences appeared as a function of social anxiety for truly happy or nonhappy faces. This rules out a response-bias explanation, and also reveals that social anxiety does not affect sensitivity in the recognition of prototypical expressions.     

‘Comparisons of traumatic and positive memories in people with and without PTSD profile’

According to most post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) theories, memory mechanisms are involved in its development and maintenance. However, the specific memory characteristics responsible for this disorder are still not well known. In the present study, 210 participants having reported at least one traumatic experience were assigned to a PTSD or to a non‐PTSD symptom profile group. Both groups rated their memories for their most traumatic and intense positive life events. We observed that the traumatic memories of PTSD profile participants were more clear, detailed and judged as significant compared with those of the non‐PTSD profile group. However, participants in the first group acknowledged having more difficulties putting their traumatic memories into words and controlling these remembrances. These differences were absent in their positive memories. Additionally, clear relationships emerged between memory ratings and PTSD symptoms measures. Results are discussed according to fragmentation and superiority views of traumatic memories in PTSD. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

教师态度与指导方式对幼儿坚持性影响的实验研究

本研究采用3×2×2(年龄×教师态度×言语指导方式)三因素完全随机实验设计,考察了教师态度和言语指导对3~6岁幼儿坚持性的影响。其中幼儿年龄、教师态度及言语指导方式为实验的自变量,幼儿坚持完成任务的时间为实验因变量,设计4种实验情境,并随机选择沈阳市两所幼儿园,分层选取小、中、大班的幼儿作为实验研究的被试,年龄分布在3~6岁之间,每种情境下每个年龄段的有效被试各为30人,男女各半,共360人。研究结果表明:(1)3~6岁幼儿的坚持性随着年龄的增长而逐渐发展,且4~5岁是幼儿坚持性发展的转折期;(2)不同的教师态度对幼儿的坚持性影响显著;(3)不同的言语指导方式对幼儿坚持性影响显著;(4)教师积极态度下,多次言语指导对幼儿的坚持性会产生最积极的影响。     

Differential effects of muscarinic receptor blockade in prelimbic cortex on acquisition and memory formation of an odor-reward task

The present experiments determined the consequences of blocking muscarinic cholinergic receptors of the prelimbic (PL) cortex in the acquisition and retention of an odor-reward associative task. Rats underwent a training test (five trials) and a 24-h retention test (two retention trials and two relearning trials). In the first experiment, rats were bilaterally infused with scopolamine (20 or 5 microg/site) prior to training. Although scopolamine rats showed acquisition equivalent to PBS-injected controls, they exhibited weakened performance in the 24-h retention test measured by number of errors. In the second experiment, rats were injected with scopolamine (20 microg/site) immediately or 1 h after training and tested 24 h later. Scopolamine rats injected immediately showed severe amnesia detected in two performance measures (errors and latencies), demonstrating deficits in retention and relearning, whereas those injected 1 h later showed good 24-h test performance, similar to controls. These results suggest that muscarinic transmission in the PL cortex is essential for early memory formation, but not for acquisition, of a rapidly learned odor discrimination task. Findings corroborate the role of acetylcholine in consolidation processes and the participation of muscarinic receptors in olfactory associative tasks.     

基于心理学视域的冥想研究

冥想(meditation)是一些综合性的心理和行为训练, 它有助于个体建立一种特殊的注意机制, 达到心理上的整体提升。心理学目前对冥想的研究主要集中在冥想的脑机制及冥想的功能(心理恢复、心理发展)两个方面, 常使用的研究工具主要有量表和EEG、fMRI、SPECT等仪器设备。未来的冥想研究应该在进一步规范冥想训练技术的基础上, 侧重于各种冥想技术的比较并对冥想结果开展长期的跟踪研究。     

对情绪智力概念的探讨

人们对情绪智力研究的兴趣渐起．但围绕情绪智力的基本概念仍存在着一些值得探讨的问题。本文对情绪智力的术语本身、概念内涵和外延以及与非智力因素、社会智力的关系进行了探讨．以冀更好地确立其在心理学中的科学地位,促进这方面理论与实践的研究。     

The effect of achievement goals on enjoyment, effort, satisfaction and performance

This study examined the effect of achievement goals and achievement emotions on sport satisfaction, performance and effort among competitive athletes. Participants were 200 athletes. Structural equation modeling was used to test the indirect effect of mastery-approach goals on satisfaction with sport experience and performance, the direct effect of mastery-approach goals on enjoyment and effort, the direct effect of performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals on performance, and the direct effect of mastery-avoidance goals on effort. Results showed a positive direct effect of mastery-approach goals on enjoyment and an indirect effect, through enjoyment, on satisfaction, performance, and effort. We did not find support for the hypothesized effect of performance-approach or performance-avoidance goals on performance. The applied implications of endorsing mastery-approach goals are discussed.     

Differential effects of the different Short Self-Applied Relaxation Therapy (SART) components on anxiety,activation and stress / Efectos diferenciales de los distintos componentes de la Relajación Breve Sugestiva Auto aplicada (RBSA) sobre la ansiedad,la activación y el estrés

Abstract

Relaxation techniques have evidence-based support in the research community. However, not all relaxation techniques have the same effectiveness or generate the same states of relaxation. For this reason, indications should be established for each of them. Studies into Self-Applied Relaxation Therapy (SART) show that they can decrease anxiety, stress, blood pressure and craving. This study explores to what extent each SART component is responsible for the results found, which is the most appropriate depending on the target variable to be controlled and whether any of the components are dispensable. Ninety-three university volunteer students participated in the study, aged between 18 and 45; 81.70% were female. Results showed that each of the components had similar efficacy and paradoxical effects on certain participants (8% to 26%). From a clinical perspective, this study concludes that SART can be adapted to the user, and a specific combination of components should be designed for each patient.     

护理本科生护患沟通的障碍及其心理体验

了解护理本科生在实习过程中与患者存在的沟通障碍以及心理体验。采用目的抽样法,选取某高等院校护理专业10名有临床实习经历的本科生,针对实习中护患沟通的障碍进行半结构式访谈,并采用Colaizzi 7步分析法进行资料分析。整理出2大主题:护生与患者有效沟通的障碍和护生与患者沟通障碍的心理体验。护理本科生与患者沟通时存在困难,且护生因此会产生负性心理体验,护生本人、学校和医院应加强对此问题的重视,提升护理本科生的沟通交往能力。